Eli Collins '20

Eli Collins, a May 2020 graduate from the Radford University Carilion (RUC) Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services program, was introduced to healthcare as a Boy Scout in his native Williamsburg, Virginia. Although his interests were piqued early, it was not until his senior year of high school that he discovered the path that would lead to his career.

“I started scouting in first grade and finished the year after I received my Eagle Scout rank in 2012,” Collins said. “Around that time, a friend of mine introduced me to Fire Explorers, a program affiliated with Boy Scouts that educates participants about firefighting. Through the program, I was able to go on ride-alongs with the local fire department that sponsored us and instantly fell in love with the profession.”

Collins said the more he accompanied the firefighters, the more he realized that the part he enjoyed most was the emergency medical services (EMS) experience. He said it was then that he decided he wanted to be a firefighter-paramedic.

When Collins began exploring how to achieve his career goal by earning a bachelor’s degree in emergency services, he found only about seven schools nationwide that both offered a firefighter-paramedic degree and were accredited.

“There were several factors that brought me to RUC and Roanoke,” Collins remembered. “I have some family here, and that was important to me, but I was also very impressed with the school and the program.”

Collins said the emergency services program at RUC encourages students to develop a deeper, more theoretical understanding of the pathophysiology behind how a patient is presenting and why. He said the program also pushes students to think outside of the box in terms of what medications and treatments would work best for each patient.

“Whether it’s something simple like running a 12-lead ECG and interpreting that to look for abnormalities or something complex like recognizing, deciding and carrying out a plan to electively take over the patient’s airway so their condition doesn’t worsen, the emergency services students learn that every action they take has consequences,” Collins said. “It’s a big picture approach that doesn’t just educate paramedics, but prepares the industry’s next leaders.”

Collins said that every student is also encouraged to seek out the most current literature in evidence-based practice, some of which are authored by RUC Emergency Services program graduates. He said this ensures the students are learning the most advanced and innovative techniques in treatments.

For a little over two years, Collins has been working part-time with Roanoke City Fire-EMS Department as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and he says he loves his job.

“Being an EMT can certainly be challenging at times,” Collins said, “but it really is the best job ever. I enjoy the people I work with and going into situations with little to no previous knowledge of what’s going on to help my patients as best as I can.”

Collins hopes to reach another milestone professionally by becoming a full-time employee with Roanoke City Fire-EMS soon. This fall, however, he’ll reach a personal milestone.

“I am marrying the love of my life in October,” Collins said.

Collins says he and his fiancée are planning on staying in the area for several years, while they both get experience in their careers. Then, he said, “We’ll see what life throws our way.”

No matter where Collins and his family end up, he says he will always trace his love for paramedicine and emergency services back to the experience he earned as a Boy Scout — and his experience at RUC.